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Unbroken: A Slow Burn Kidnapper-to-Protector Romance
The day NYPD Detective Callum Wolf buried his wife and child, he set his sights on revenge. Except his obsession drives him to kill a suspect, forcing him to give up his badge and take bodyguard work for the well-heeled. But when he accepts a job kidnapping a tycoon’s spouse as part of a consensual sex game, he finds himself captivated by the woman playing “the victim.”
Recent divorcee Sadie Mickelson refuses to let her stepbrother die. Though when her slimy ex steals her last dime and kicks her sibling off the transplant list, she plots to turn the tables by fooling her demented former father-in-law into believing she's his wife. And by the time she discovers the old coot harbors sick fantasies, she’s entangled in a violent charade with her only hope in the chiseled hands of the hired muscle.
Though he’s falling for the spirited beauty, Callum struggles with betraying the oath he swore to his deceased bride. And as Sadie’s attraction to Callum builds, she fears her ex-family’s twisted agenda will bury their budding passion in an unmarked grave.
Will they find their forever future, or will their first kiss be their last?
Recent divorcee Sadie Mickelson refuses to let her stepbrother die. Though when her slimy ex steals her last dime and kicks her sibling off the transplant list, she plots to turn the tables by fooling her demented former father-in-law into believing she's his wife. And by the time she discovers the old coot harbors sick fantasies, she’s entangled in a violent charade with her only hope in the chiseled hands of the hired muscle.
Though he’s falling for the spirited beauty, Callum struggles with betraying the oath he swore to his deceased bride. And as Sadie’s attraction to Callum builds, she fears her ex-family’s twisted agenda will bury their budding passion in an unmarked grave.
Will they find their forever future, or will their first kiss be their last?
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2021
6 people are currently reading
2632 people want to read
About the author
A. Kelly
7 books321 followersA. Kelly - Romance, rethought®
A. Kelly writes romance with a touch of danger and suspense. She crafts stories with unexpected twists, and she doesn't shy away from tough subjects.
Also an avid wildlife photographer (especially bears!), Kelly has travelled the seven continents and met people from different walks of life where she draws inspirations from.
She's a sucker for stationery and fluffy things, and would die without tea. When needing something strong, Kelly usually turns to dry Chardonnay or Aperol spritz.
A. Kelly lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Amazon: Amazon - A Kelly
Website: akellyauthor.com
Facebook: facebook.com/akellyauthor
Twitter: twitter.com/akellyauthor
Instagram: instagram.com/akellyauthor
A. Kelly writes romance with a touch of danger and suspense. She crafts stories with unexpected twists, and she doesn't shy away from tough subjects.
Also an avid wildlife photographer (especially bears!), Kelly has travelled the seven continents and met people from different walks of life where she draws inspirations from.
She's a sucker for stationery and fluffy things, and would die without tea. When needing something strong, Kelly usually turns to dry Chardonnay or Aperol spritz.
A. Kelly lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Amazon: Amazon - A Kelly
Website: akellyauthor.com
Facebook: facebook.com/akellyauthor
Twitter: twitter.com/akellyauthor
Instagram: instagram.com/akellyauthor
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 19, 2021
I was hooked from the first page to the last! I thought the book was well written, had my in divided attention to the end of the story. The only thing that bothered me was the fact that Sadie’s brother Mac the author said was her stepbrother when in fact he was her half brother. This was an entertaining book and I liked the characters! Will definitely read other books by this author!
August 28, 2022
Okay, so you know how when there's an accident on the freeway and everybody slows down to try and get a look even though everyone knows that they should just keep going? That's basically what happened with this book. The premise was interesting and I feel like the structure was there, the author just didn't execute it all that well.
The beginning had me this close to DNF because just...NO. The things with Mickelson Senior had me rolling my eyes so hard because I feel like if Sadie really had any sort of confidante/help in that place then Pete would have done something to keep paws off her. Rather than her praying for sleeping pills to take effect. After Cal pulled her out of the game, things got a little better but people spent the entire time being idiots.
Throughout the book, there were grammatical errors and spelling errors. And word usage that didn't make sense. It felt like a couple of times the author decided to use a thesaurus just because (seriously, made me think of Joey in the episode of FRIENDS where he wrote the letter to the adoption agent for Monica and Chandler). Plus the internal dialogue for people just didn't fit. Half the time Sadie seemed to be stuck on horny teenager and Cal was more of a whiny-baby than damaged man that I think the author was going for. I also didn't get why both Sadie and Cal kept referring to Mac as "the boy". I could kind of excuse Cal since he didn't really have any relationship with him but that only extends until he brought them back to his house, then it should have changed, unless it was a nickname. Sade did it a lot in the latter half of the book, almost like someone forgot which character was narrating.
The sex scenes were actually painful for me to read. Going back to the internal descriptions, whenever Sadie was the narrator I barely stopped myself from skimming. It was almost like she'd never had sex before or even seen the male body (at one point she claims that she doesn't like sex because in her opinion dicks are just sticks with veins and a peen on top, so yeah). Cal's narration on that was a little better although he did a lot of comparing to his previous lovers/his dead wife that was just this side of over the top. And don't get me started on his attitude...just because he lost his family and made a promise to never love another, it's okay to become a man-whore? Like, not judging but at the same time, he spent an inordinate amount of time complaining that he only slept around because he could never love anyone again because of his promise. Then Sadie shows up and suddenly it's a problem and I just wonder why it was such a big deal.
The beginning had me this close to DNF because just...NO. The things with Mickelson Senior had me rolling my eyes so hard because I feel like if Sadie really had any sort of confidante/help in that place then Pete would have done something to keep paws off her. Rather than her praying for sleeping pills to take effect. After Cal pulled her out of the game, things got a little better but people spent the entire time being idiots.
Throughout the book, there were grammatical errors and spelling errors. And word usage that didn't make sense. It felt like a couple of times the author decided to use a thesaurus just because (seriously, made me think of Joey in the episode of FRIENDS where he wrote the letter to the adoption agent for Monica and Chandler). Plus the internal dialogue for people just didn't fit. Half the time Sadie seemed to be stuck on horny teenager and Cal was more of a whiny-baby than damaged man that I think the author was going for. I also didn't get why both Sadie and Cal kept referring to Mac as "the boy". I could kind of excuse Cal since he didn't really have any relationship with him but that only extends until he brought them back to his house, then it should have changed, unless it was a nickname. Sade did it a lot in the latter half of the book, almost like someone forgot which character was narrating.
The sex scenes were actually painful for me to read. Going back to the internal descriptions, whenever Sadie was the narrator I barely stopped myself from skimming. It was almost like she'd never had sex before or even seen the male body (at one point she claims that she doesn't like sex because in her opinion dicks are just sticks with veins and a peen on top, so yeah). Cal's narration on that was a little better although he did a lot of comparing to his previous lovers/his dead wife that was just this side of over the top. And don't get me started on his attitude...just because he lost his family and made a promise to never love another, it's okay to become a man-whore? Like, not judging but at the same time, he spent an inordinate amount of time complaining that he only slept around because he could never love anyone again because of his promise. Then Sadie shows up and suddenly it's a problem and I just wonder why it was such a big deal.
March 21, 2021
Normally don’t do this troupe but was looking for something a little different and thought this might work. The book started out pretty intense with Cal/Callum saving a hostage and quitting his law enforcement job in the process. Cal becomes a bit of a man dog where he sleeps with a multitude of women, some he can’t even recall their names. Not sure how this is supposed to make him appear like a knight in shining armor more like a dirty dog to me. For some reason when he sees Sadie’s picture it gets his motor revving and we have to deal with his teenage adolescent fantasies about her.
Then we meet Sadie, who is recovering from a messy divorce to a rich jerk, while maintaining a job training horses and being financially responsible for her younger brother, needless to say while not a virgin she’s a lot purer than Cal. Sadie seems to be a bit naïve as she left herself open to being taken advantage of by her ex financially. Her inner monologues sound more like a breathy teenage girl crushing on the hot guy than a woman who has had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders for years.
The story tries to tug at the heartstrings using Cal losing his family to a bad guy and Sadie trying desperately to get a kidney for her younger brother who is on dialysis. A very convoluted plot overshadows these two things, where Sadie is trying to get her rich ex-father-in-law to put her brother back on the kidney transplant list by pretending to be his wife. Then we have a kidnapping plot hatched by said fake husband that’s supposed to be some warped sexual fantasy, which Cal is a part of. Some over the top bad guys (this is where I will issue the trigger warning on attempted sexual assault on Sadie). A bad guy from Cal’s past is now in the mix placing Sadie and her brother in danger. Cal being a bodyguard to some rich sleazes both male and female, let’s not forget to throw in Cal running into some of the women he has been with on top of that, so we can have the inevitable running away of the female lead. Sleazy real ex-husband also has to throw his ickiness around. More sexual fetishes are brought to light from Sadie’s real ex and her fake husband. Wait don’t forget the dire need for a kidney as the little brother is beginning to fade. Oops almost forgot Cal’s promise to his dying wife that kept popping up. There is a lot more but you get the general idea.
With all of that baggage to handle the actually story between Sadie and Cal came in a distant last. I did not feel any chemistry between these two, things felt more mechanical like insert part A into part B…plus both leads had a one dimensional feel to them that I could never get past.
A lot of the dialogue in this story was either immature, over the top, stilted or just plain strange, which made things drag out even more as a lot of the time I would just end up groaning when there was interaction between the characters.
To say you needed a scorecard to keep track of all of the balls in the air on this overly long, clunky story would be an understatement.
I received an ARC and I am leaving an honest review.
Then we meet Sadie, who is recovering from a messy divorce to a rich jerk, while maintaining a job training horses and being financially responsible for her younger brother, needless to say while not a virgin she’s a lot purer than Cal. Sadie seems to be a bit naïve as she left herself open to being taken advantage of by her ex financially. Her inner monologues sound more like a breathy teenage girl crushing on the hot guy than a woman who has had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders for years.
The story tries to tug at the heartstrings using Cal losing his family to a bad guy and Sadie trying desperately to get a kidney for her younger brother who is on dialysis. A very convoluted plot overshadows these two things, where Sadie is trying to get her rich ex-father-in-law to put her brother back on the kidney transplant list by pretending to be his wife. Then we have a kidnapping plot hatched by said fake husband that’s supposed to be some warped sexual fantasy, which Cal is a part of. Some over the top bad guys (this is where I will issue the trigger warning on attempted sexual assault on Sadie). A bad guy from Cal’s past is now in the mix placing Sadie and her brother in danger. Cal being a bodyguard to some rich sleazes both male and female, let’s not forget to throw in Cal running into some of the women he has been with on top of that, so we can have the inevitable running away of the female lead. Sleazy real ex-husband also has to throw his ickiness around. More sexual fetishes are brought to light from Sadie’s real ex and her fake husband. Wait don’t forget the dire need for a kidney as the little brother is beginning to fade. Oops almost forgot Cal’s promise to his dying wife that kept popping up. There is a lot more but you get the general idea.
With all of that baggage to handle the actually story between Sadie and Cal came in a distant last. I did not feel any chemistry between these two, things felt more mechanical like insert part A into part B…plus both leads had a one dimensional feel to them that I could never get past.
A lot of the dialogue in this story was either immature, over the top, stilted or just plain strange, which made things drag out even more as a lot of the time I would just end up groaning when there was interaction between the characters.
To say you needed a scorecard to keep track of all of the balls in the air on this overly long, clunky story would be an understatement.
I received an ARC and I am leaving an honest review.
March 15, 2021
I received a free ARC from Hidden Gems for the promise of an honest review.
Overall the book was okay and entertaining The story is strong and well written. I think it was a little longer than what it needed to be and in other areas the story seems rushed. It lagged in some scenes. Cal figuring out his past and how it connected to his present circumstances was presented in a rush so it made it seem a little unrealistic. It might have been better to have a prequel novella with Cal's past and then this book so the author could develop that storyline a little slower.
I had issues with Mac and Sadie's relationship. The author kept saying that Mac was Sadie's stepbrother but yet at the same time they had the same mother who died giving birth to Mac. Doesn't that make Mac Sadie's half-brother?
Overall the book was okay and entertaining The story is strong and well written. I think it was a little longer than what it needed to be and in other areas the story seems rushed. It lagged in some scenes. Cal figuring out his past and how it connected to his present circumstances was presented in a rush so it made it seem a little unrealistic. It might have been better to have a prequel novella with Cal's past and then this book so the author could develop that storyline a little slower.
I had issues with Mac and Sadie's relationship. The author kept saying that Mac was Sadie's stepbrother but yet at the same time they had the same mother who died giving birth to Mac. Doesn't that make Mac Sadie's half-brother?
March 24, 2021
I really enjoyed this book despite the plot being rushed and way too many things happening at the same time. More plot development regarding Cal’s past might have made this book a little better. We couldn’t fully understand Cal’s past until he remembered some parts he had blocked out. It all made sense to me why he reacted to Sadie as he did when it all came to light. I loved both characters even though they could have used more development. It was an easy, fast paced read. I hope we get to read Jon and Yorkie’s story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
March 25, 2021
There was so much going on it was hard to follow some places. I do understand what led Sadie to do what she did, but to expect that she wasn't going to get caught bothered me. There were times that I liked Callum and times I didn't. His need to be a submissive and dominate while intriquing was not well developed. Some scenes were unnecessary and definitely not for the faint of heart, and it just seemed to be a random recipe of throwing things in and seeing if they worked.
April 27, 2021
Amazing book loved Callum !
I loved Callum the way he treated Sadie with care even though he didn't know her he instinctly wanted to protect her and loved her.Sadie helped him to heal from his loss.He was very sweet getting Sadie to trust him.I want a boyfriend like that.This is the first book I read from the author I loved her writing style. I am a fan
I loved Callum the way he treated Sadie with care even though he didn't know her he instinctly wanted to protect her and loved her.Sadie helped him to heal from his loss.He was very sweet getting Sadie to trust him.I want a boyfriend like that.This is the first book I read from the author I loved her writing style. I am a fan
March 24, 2021
I received a complimentary copy of this book from HiddenGems and this is my honest review. The book was well written and the storyline was well developed. It was entertaining and I liked the characters. It’s emotional and there are unexpected twists along the way. Good read
April 21, 2021
There is alot to this crazy romance. Family loss. Sick half brother. Creepy ex. Deceit. Guilty feelings. Guilty attraction. Strong attraction. Steam. Protection. Security. And finally......HEA.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
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March 21, 2021This book releases on March 23rd - please add it to your shelf :)
June 16, 2021
I liked Cal & Sadie's book. It was an entertaining read. I got a copy of the book. And am voluntarily leaving my review.
April 15, 2021
This book gets the 3 stars simply for the "different" story plot but I could not go any higher.
While Sadie has a lot to deal with from a messy divorce to being responsible for her younger brother whom is very sick, her jerk of an ex makes matters worse for her. She then comes up with a plan to help her brother and get the money back that her ex stole from her.
Cal starts of the story pretty good and intense when he has a hostage situation While working as a police officer. That changes where he is just a bit of a dog. He then is hired for a job that he normally wouldn't take but after seeing a picture of Sadie he can't turn it down.
While there are some good moments in this book I just could not get more into it. I loved that Sadie was trying to do anything to help her brother but wasn't a fan of Cal for most of the book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
While Sadie has a lot to deal with from a messy divorce to being responsible for her younger brother whom is very sick, her jerk of an ex makes matters worse for her. She then comes up with a plan to help her brother and get the money back that her ex stole from her.
Cal starts of the story pretty good and intense when he has a hostage situation While working as a police officer. That changes where he is just a bit of a dog. He then is hired for a job that he normally wouldn't take but after seeing a picture of Sadie he can't turn it down.
While there are some good moments in this book I just could not get more into it. I loved that Sadie was trying to do anything to help her brother but wasn't a fan of Cal for most of the book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews